Wind power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. As shown in FIG. 1, a modern wind turbine 10 typically includes a tower 12 extending from a support surface 14, a nacelle 16 mounted atop the tower 12, a generator and a gearbox (not shown) within the nacelle 16, and a rotor 18 mounted to the nacelle 16. The rotor 18 includes a rotatable hub 20 having one or more rotor blades 22 mounted thereto. Each of the rotor blades 22 are typically mounted to the hub via a pitch bearing. The pitch bearings are configured to change the pitch angle of each of the blades to capture kinetic energy of the wind using known airfoil principles. The rotor blades 22 transmit the kinetic energy from the wind in the form of rotational energy so as to turn a shaft coupling the rotor blades 22 to the gearbox, or if the gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy that may be deployed to a utility grid.
Various maintenance and/or repair operations of the wind turbine 10 may require removal of one or more of the rotor blades 22 from the hub 20. For example, to replace one of the existing pitch bearings, the corresponding rotor blade is rotated to a six o'clock position such that the blade tip is pointed towards the ground. The blade bolts attaching the blade to the hub are then removed and the blade 22 is lowered an initial vertical distance from the hub. The rotor blade 22 may then be suspended from the hub 20 via a suspension system 15 as shown in FIG. 2. As shown, the suspension system 15 generally includes two endless support straps 17 draped over the upper, rabbit-eared blades 22. To keep these support straps 17 in the proper position, a set of compression rods 19 and guide eyelets 21 are installed and extend between the hub 20 and the straps 17.
To install the suspension system 15, a significantly large crane is required to hoist up and position the system 15 over the blades 22. Such cranes are expensive and have to be transported to the wind turbine site, thereby accounting for much of the costs associated with up-tower maintenance and/or repairs of the wind turbine.
Accordingly, a suspension system for suspending a rotor blade that does not require the use of a significantly large crane would be welcomed in the technology.